THEATRE GOSSIP #589: The "Real Women Get Tony Nominations" Edition

Here's the previous thread.

[quote]I thought Helen J. Shen was fantastic in MHE. I was expecting a nomination.

I was glad that Helen Highwater wasn't nominated.

What a repugnant thread title, OP. You’ve already ruined this thread. Someone should start another.

[quote]You’ve already ruined this thread.

R3 has spoken, everyone!

Is this title a direct attack on Jinx Monsoon and Bianca Leigh?

It's MAGA-approved, R5. Like the new Kennedy Center.

Who is the OP of this thread? JK?

Y'all survived "THEATRE GOSSIP #482: Jerry Herman dragged his crippled ass to the Kennedy Center Honors and so can Liza", and you'll survive this thread title too.

Also, "Is this title a direct attack on Jinx Monsoon"? Hmmmmmmm.....

Is someone making fun of me?

Keep punching down, OP.

I thought Helen Shen was tres ordinaire in “Maybe Happy Ending.” Nasal voice and no stage presence. I’m not surprised she made little impression during what turned out to be a strong theater season,

"Redwood" closing on May 18th.

TIMBER!!

By the end of next week, I predict there will be at least 3 more closing announcements.

Encores' WONDERFUL TOWN is getting eviscerated by the chat rooms and critics.

Conga!

Back to Mia Farrow.. she was robbed of an Oscar nomination for Rosemary's Baby. She was extraordinary and the film would not have worked as well without her. She's in every scene. Some say Sinatra used his muscle to shut her out.

Which muscle?

What is the consensus of the word-of-mouth, R15?

[quote]I was glad that Helen Highwater wasn't nominated.

I'm upset that Magdalena Montezuma was snubbed for her star turn in "Buena Vista Social Club."

Word of mouth and critics seem to agree on Wonderful Town that the director completely misunderstands the material and the 3 leads, though talented, are all miscast.

Three leads in WONDERFUL TOWN? Besides Ruth and Eileen, who's the third one? The guy who falls in love with Eileen?

When I heard that Ruth is ENJOYING her Conga dance with the Brazilian sailors, I knew this production was very misguided.

Leave it to the expert...

I was lucky enough to see Donna Murphy in Wonderful Town and that was a terrific production. Even dull Greg Edelman was good and Murphy gave an unforgettable performance. She got every laugh and her battle with a pullout sofa was hilarious. Conga was pure joy and a great way to close out the first act. Ah, memories.

Conga closes out the first act, r24? That's news to me.

Saw the invited dress of Wonderful Town. (at least the first act!) It was dreadful. Yes, the director had no idea what to do, and his rethinking of the material was to put two ladies of color in the leads and add extra people to the solos and duets. And everyone but Anika Noni Rose was pushing SO HARD. I wanted to shoot the guy who opened the show as the tour guide and the woman who played Helen. Unfortunately, although she gave a very nice performance, Anika was completely miscast. Lear's choices for most of the seasons she was Artistic Director of was awful, other than the shows she directed herself.

[quote]Encores' WONDERFUL TOWN is getting eviscerated by the chat rooms and critics.

I've seen every Encores! production since the beginning, except for one that I missed by accident and another, THE LIFE, that I purposely missed because what I had heard about the production in pre-publicity made me think I would become very upset if I sat through it. And I didn't even consider getting a ticket for WONDERFUL TOWN because it sounded like it was going to be another misfire. It sure seems like I made the right choice in both of those cases.

THE LIFE was by far the worst Encores show (thank you, Billy Porter) but there have been a few other stinkers. IRMA LA DOUCE, 70 GIRLS 70, and DUBARRY WAS A LADY come to mind.

Any word on the Billy Porter “Cabaret”? Is this the same production that I saw Jake Shears in on the West End?

"Conga" from the 2003 Donna Murphy revival:

[quote]THE LIFE was by far the worst Encores show (thank you, Billy Porter) but there have been a few other stinkers. IRMA LA DOUCE, 70 GIRLS 70, and DUBARRY WAS A LADY come to mind.

I agree with you about IRMA and 70 GIRLS, but I remember DUBARRY being a fine production with a good cast.

Roz was better

[quote]Roz was better

That's the problem with a star vehicle that is so tailored to its original star.

[quote]Three leads in WONDERFUL TOWN? Besides Ruth and Eileen, who's the third one? The guy who falls in love with Eileen?

The third lead would be Bob Baker, the guy who falls in love with Ruth, not Eileen.

I think all of us Dataloungers in New York should meet outside the Nederlander at 6 and make a Tik Tok of all of us shouting TIM-BER!!!!!!!!!!

Of course, nothing will match the greatness of Cole Escola releasing a Tik Tok of Mary Todd Lincoln with the "sunset" megaphone singing "shoo fly pie" as the audience BOOOOOOOs. That deserves a Tony.

Of all the Lead Actor in a Musical nominees, I would give it to Jeremy Jordan. I don’t get the Just in Time love. Jonathan Groff is basically playing Jonathan Groff.

Which is precisely the point, r36.

Yes, but R36 is right — I don’t doubt that Groff sings up a storm and is very charming, that’s evident in the clip from the “Just in Time” number on the Colbert show.

But isn’t that a concert performance rather than an acting AND singing performance that one might give in a standard jukebox musical or musical bio?

If he’s that great then give him a special Tony, don’t say he’s giving one of the best performances in a musical where he’s playing himself, Jonathan Groff, explaining how he understands and identifies with Darin’s love of performing. That’s not acting. It’s a one man show, which is something else.

Wasn't Hugh basically playing himself in Boy From Oz?

I really want Nicole Scherzinger to win because I so enjoy learning all about her many feelings.

R39. A gay man? Yes.

I think Sunset is a lock for Best Direction of a Musical and I think they’ll want to give Sunset an acting win as well. I’m betting on Nicole. Audra has enough Tonys and this Gypsy production is a bomb.

Isn't Nicole just really playing herself?

I still say Tom Francis is going to take Best Actor.

At this point, it's a toss-up between Jordan and Groff.

Why is Darren Criss suddenly out of contention??

I don’t think he is entirely, R46, but compared to the high emotion and big voices being delivered by Jordan and Groff, Criss’s disciplined, amusing and touching performance in a charming-but-wispy musical might not live in the memory as easily as what the other two actors are delivering.

Personally, I’m rooting for Jeremy Jordan, who is great in a unique musical. Despite the busy ensemble around him, his dignity, passion and fine vocals dominate the show.

They can take care of Criss by giving Maybe Happy Ending best musical.

I think colorblind casting is essential to the moment…however, it’s detrimental to cast people of color JUST because they are people of color and NOT because they are the right person for the role.

It ends up being a bad production when you miscast people just because you HAVE to and not because they are the best person for the role.

A good example is The Last Five Years. Adrienne Warren is very talented and was good casting for Cathy. The fact that she is black adds to the character and she brings that to the performance to winning results.

Anika Noni Rose as Ruth does…not.

R47, I like your analysis. How much do you think having just won last year will weigh against Groff? If anything, I think that may be what tips the win in Jordan’s favor — i.e., voters may view this as the perfect opportunity to reward Jordan, a seasoned performer who’s never won a Tony before, versus giving a second one to Groff (as great as he may be).

As for Criss, I think his best hope might be if MHE sweeps (including best musical) and he’s able to go along for the ride.

Thank you R30 - that Conga clip was so much fun - and on the money!

Get hep...

How do you feel about Broadway Rose? Or Broadway rows??

What does that refer to in Conga!?

r53:

What's your opinion of women's clothes

Major Bowes

Steinbeck's prose

How do you feel about Broadway roles?

Really?? Roles doesn't rhyme with the others.

I wondered if Broadway Rose was some gossip columnist from the 1930s.

If you had seen the show, R38, you might feel differently. JUST IN TIME is a weird hybrid where Groff is playing himself at the beginning and in certain moments thereafter, but he actually plays the role of Darin through much of the show, and aside from all the singing (and dancing), there are many book scenes where good acting is absolutely required. In fact, I would argue that excellent acting is required for those scenes, because so much of the show's book is quite awful.

[quote]Really??

That's what Google told me, r55. Take it up with them.

The Tonys are actually quite interesting this year because there's lot of good competition.

Of course, the voters could be very lazy and just vote for the obvious.

Google lies, on occasion.

[quote]How do you feel about Broadway Rose?

Broadway Danny Rose?

Whoever does win the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical, I can't imagine they'll win by a wide margin, considering how tough the competition is. But of course, the public is never told how many votes the winner won by.

Broadway Rose

Broadway Rose according to Wikipedia. Comden and Green probably meant the first one.

R62 beat me to it

Once again, Cole Escola does Bernadette Peters.

r62, thank you for uncovering the mystery.

Hard to imagine Comden & Green couldn't come up with a 4th rhyme for clothes, Bowes and prose. I guess back in the 1950s sophisticated Broadway audiences would still get that 1930s/40s reference.

The Tonys aren’t big on consecutive winners like the Emmys. There are rare exceptions for great talents like Laurie Metcalf and Judith Light. Groff is very well liked in the theater community and I won’t be surprised if he does a back to back win. On the other hand, I could see some people being annoyed with a second Groff win considering how great the competition is this year as well as the fact that not everybody was crazy about his Merrily win.

My favorite Cole video

There are fewer consecutive year Tony winners because it's rare for an actor, star or not, to be fortunate enough to get 2 truly great roles within a couple of years. I guess the same could be said for Oscars.

Emmys obviously are different because the consecutive year wins are usually for playing the same role in the same series.

Oscars are at the whim of a studio’s release schedule.

Cole for play and actor!

[quote]I could see some people being annoyed with a second Groff win considering how great the competition is this year as well as the fact that not everybody was crazy about his Merrily win.

I have never heard of anyone begrudging him that award.

Pee Pee Manor

Boring

I tend to agree with you, R50, that Groff’s Tony last season makes a win for him this time seem less likely. That and the fact that Jordan hasn’t won a Tony yet and helped make an unexpected hit out of “Gatsby” last season (though it’s still doing well without him) gives him an edge, I think.

But “Just in Time” looks to be a hit while “Floyd Collins” does not, so how might that factor in? I tend to think that too will favor Jordan. “Floyd Collins” is arty and demanding, and not commercial but Jordan gives it a heart and soul, while Groff would have the consolation of another hit for as long as as he wants to run in it. Jordan is showing he can topline a big musical, and Broadway may want to find one for him now.

But Criss, Durand and Francis are all good enough to have been shoo-ins in a weaker year, so it’s a real horse race.

What the hell is going on with the trashy audiences going to see Hell's Kitchen? I've heard stories of brawls, people bringing take out dinners in with them, singing along, talking and arguing during the show, and trashy audiences grabbing at actors as they leave the stage door. Where the fuck are the hired security guards? I wouldn't go the show now if they were giving tix out for free.

R76 = Patti LuPone

R76. What's the problem?

A quiet week ahead.

MONDAY -- Hugh Jackman promotes his Radio City Music Hall residency on Good Morning America and The View (it's close enough to Broadway to count); also, George Clooney on Late Night with Seth Meyers

TUESDAY -- Jonathan Groff and Gracie Lawrence on Late Night with Seth Meyers

R51 here's the same performance (sans costumes) for "press day" (2003).

Groff is utterly mediocre in Just in Time. A plump chorus boy singin & dancin—and nothing like Bobby Darin in the least.

Two years ago, Sean Hayes won the Tony for playing Oscar Levant, whom he was nothing like at all.

I think it’s brave of Groff to dance like that with his middle-aged spread. Apparently it’s in solidarity with Beanie.

Last night I saw the first “Conga” that was not a showstopper. So many misguided moments. It was not as bad as Billy Porter’s THE LIFE, though. That production will probably remain Encores’ worst ever.

Well, r84, I walked out of both of them at intermission.

The previous Wonderful Town was great —Murphy was absolutely zany and fantastic. I was looking forward to this version. Oh well

I’m voting for Audra over Nicole. She’s the greatest Rose I’ve ever seen and that deserves recognition. Sure she has a ton of Tonys but what she does with this role is special.

Yes Nicole has a great voice and does tons of histrionics but it’s not a role that has a ton of emotional variety.

I love this hot theatre daddy, Matthew Hardy.

Who’s had him?

Here's some of Brooke Shields in WONDERFUL TOWN after she replaced Donna Murphy.

[quote]I’m voting for Audra over Nicole.

Are you a Tony voter? If so, what are your other choices.

What happened to Kathleen Marshall's career? She used to be a mainstay director/choreographer at Roundabout, Encores. and on Broadway. She directed and choreographed that Donna Murphy Wonderful Town you're all going on about. While she may never have been brilliant or innovative, she got the job done far better than Scott Ellis and Rob Ashford. At least she understood those old classic musicals.

Seeing those Roz clips reminds me that Ken Mandelbaum wrote that she received the best collective raves he'd ever seen for a Broadway musical performance.. I can believe it.

I’d like to take care of Criss, r48. With my mouth.

R93: Ew...

Thanks R80 that was even more fun up close.

Oh R89 interesting.....Brooke certainly made it look more choregraphed than spontaneous ....but still fun.

On this week's "Elsbeth," featuring DL fave Billy Magnussen as the murderer-of-the-week, there were a few fun Broadway references. Billy's character was a spoiled super-rich guy who's bored with everything and has a bizarre bucket list of things that he hopes will cure his ennui. His friend/sidekick mentions that he's already scored with a woman at the Oscars so he suggests trying another awards show, like the Tonys. Billy says that he HAS a Tony (as a producer, of course) and says he was up there on stage. His friend points out there were 30 other producers and he was not on stage but in the lobby. but Billy protests, "but on camera!"

Later on Elsbeth gets arrested, and her first reaction is, "But I have tickets for 'Oh, Mary!'"

R82-WHAT? Are you inferring Oscar Levant didn't sound like Jimmy Stewart when he spoke?

R91, I don't agree that Kathleen Marshall was any better than Ashford or Ellis. Her work on GREASE was particularly bad. Oh, and NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT.

I’m pulling for an Audra win. If only to let Trumper Nicole learn a lesson about being a duplicitous cunt.

Besides, Nicole has two big songs. And while she belts the shit out of them, she isn’t acting. Audra is giving one of the finest performances I’ve ever seen. It’s revelatory.

Do we think that what's happened to Hugh Jackman's face in recent years is just the result of the natural aging process, or has he had some sort of awful wasting disease? To me, he doesn't just look old, he looks ill.

Her choreography can be workmanlike, but there have been other times when Kathleen Marshall delivered. In particular, I really liked her "Hernando's Hideaway" in the 2006 revival of The Pajama Game. Extra credit for Paula Leggett Chase's crazy stage crosses upstage of Harry Connick Jr. at the seven-minute mark.

I thought Marshall's "Too Darn Hot" was far better than the more recent version, and I loved her work on ANYTHING GOES too. Underrated.

Her choreography can be workmanlike, but there have been other times when Kathleen Marshall delivered.

Her choreography is one thing, her direction is another. And "Too Darn Hot" makes zero sense as a production number, regardless of who choreographs it.

Evita not selling in London and Zegler is being labeled box office poison.

Both leads out of Death Becomes Her this afternoon.

NEWSNATIONNOW IS TRUMPFOX!!!!!!!!!!

[quote]Both leads out of Death Becomes Her this afternoon.

Incredible. What is going on there?

R105 I'm afraid of what they'll do to EVITA.

Eva Perón is the villain of the piece (and in real life) whom Che tries to warn us about.

R107. Oh dear. If that's true then I do apologize for posting that link.

I have no idea if it is, R110. I'm just being DataLoungey today. Yard work time ....

I was hoping Evita would transfer to NYC (I was born way after 1980 and was too young even for the 2012 revival) so this would be my first chance to see it. But I think they need to replace Rachel unless she gets amazing review/Olivier award.

I saw Audra and I’m sorry but I disagree on it being the best performance. I saw a bootleg of Patti and, to me, for me, that was the performance to watch.

From Jesse Green's largely negative New York Times review of the Encores! WONDERFUL TOWN:

[quote]After a pushy “Urinetown,” a baffling “Love Life” and now this “Wonderful Town,” one cannot say that 2025 has been the standout Encores! season that 2024 was. It happens. But even without a high point of praise, we can hail the outgoing artistic director, Lear deBessonet, as she moves, after five years, to her new position as artistic director at Lincoln Center Theater. What she’s done in those five years has been, regardless of hits or misses, nothing short of rejuvenating, finding in the series’ peculiar mission some of the quirky spark and community spirit that gave rise to American musical theater in the first place.

"Regardless of hits or misses?" Really??!! What a strange summation.

URINETOWN was dome well enough but was unnecessarily revived. I didn’t find LOVE LIFE “baffling,” I was happy to hear and see it. WONDERFUL TOWN is tonight, and I’ve drastically lowered my expectations, the reviews make it seem like the poor conceptualization and direction are to blame.

It’ll be interesting to see if the new artistic director tales Encores! back to basics.

Flops that no one here even remembers?

My Encores wishlist: Over Here!, Goodtime Charley and DL Fave TPOS (aka They're Playing Our Song).

All the theater references and performers in Elspeth shouldn't come as a surprise. The showrunner iis Jon Tolins (BUYER AND CELLAR), who's a theater queen of the first order.

My Encores wishlist would include, off the top of my head: Seesaw, I Love My Wife and Hollywood/Ukraine.

If they were to do Seesaw, r118, would they do the original or the tour version?

[Quote] Are you a Tony voter? If so, what are your other choices.

I’ve said too much already

I’d take one from r116 (Over Here) and one from r118 (Seesaw) and add the Mame that’s never really going to get a Broadway revival (or, alternatively, Jerry Herman’s Milk and Honey, which might suddenly feel timely?

I'd see MILK AND HONEY if they didn't cast Andrea Martin in the Molly Picon role.

M&H

Tommy Rall had such a great voice for a dancer.

I'm sure Adam and Amanda Green and the Bernstein kids were thrilled to read Jesse Green's pronouncement today that WONDERFUL TOWN is no longer producible.

Well, he did like the music, it was the book he thought was dated.

But you can't produce the show without the book.

And of course, the book is dated, specifically 1935.

Roz's first Oscar nom...

My Encores! wishlist: Mame, They're Playing Our Song, and Smile.

The Encores! mission: doing musicals poorly, and then somehow, the dire result is always the show's fault.

That would be pathetic if they did They’re Playing Our Song. It already had 1,082 performances on Broadway and that was about 1,000 too many.

I’d rather they did Sarava. With Tovah!

Milk and Honey would be good. Plus High Spirits and Fade Out, Fade In.

Milk and Honey is about Israel so…..

"Silk Stockings"---Cole Porter's last Broadway musical. Brooks Atkinson in the NY Times called it the best musical since "Guys and Dolls."

Carrie.

Bajour!

Julie Benko IS Sonia Walsk. No. Really. She is.

Over Here! is a forgotten gem. Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard could play the DePaul sisters with Sutton Foster as Mitzi, the Nazi spy.

Simply Heavenly

City of Angels -- but I'd prefer a full revival.

Wonderful Town did not feel dated 20 years ago with the wonderful Donna Murphy production. It’s this crappy production—specifically its director, choreographer, and miscast actors—who failed the material.

A little early, R136, but no less welcome.

[quote]Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard could play the DePaul sisters

Producers might want to cast performers who actually show up for performances.

Sounds like Jesse Green is saying they didn’t get the pauses right.

How about an all Jerry Herman season at Encores? His flops Mack & Mabel and Dear World both made fun Encores evenings. I’d vote for Mame (with Donna Murphy), Milk and Honey, and (pick one) The Grand Tour, Day in Hollywood (partial Herman score) or La Cage with its full orchestra.

Actually both Dear World and Mack & Mabel sucked at Encores. They put nails in the coffin of “These would make great Bway revivals!”

[quote] They put nails in the coffin of “These would make great Bway revivals!”

That was never what Encores was about. Chicago was a fluke success, repeated later with lesser successes like Finian’s Rainbow and Wonderful Town.

Knowing next to nothing about it beforehand, I loved "Dear World" at Encores. Strange show.

I was also very disappointed in the Encores' Mack & Mabel. I loved the show on Broadway. Well, actually in its LA tryout, I never saw it on Broadway.

Thank you, R147. Encores! began as a series of opportunities to hear Broadway scores unlikely to receive a full revival, and hear them with full orchestra and company. I've been to nine of them over the years -- BYE BYE BIRDIE (2004), FOLLIES (2007), APPLAUSE (2008), JUNO (2008), ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (2010), LITTLE ME (2014), 1776 (2016), THE GOLDEN APPLE (2017) and I MARRIED AN ANGEL (2019) -- and have always had a great time, even when the material wasn't much worth reviving (APPLAUSE) or the presentation was less than ideal (I MARRIED AN ANGEL).

Why they've done "revivals" like FIORELLO!, CALL ME MADAM and the present WONDERFUL TOWN beggars the imagination, when there are countless worthy titles that they haven't even ventured once. I for one wish that they'd include some shows that are otherwise unlikely to be heard on Broadway with their original orchestrations: SHE LOVES ME . . . ON THE 20TH CENTURY . . . A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC . . . CANDIDE . . . etc., etc. (Imagine if they could persuade the Bernstein estate to let them do the full CANDIDE score as heard when it opened on Broadway.)

The thing about Encores is you need truly experienced directors in musical comedy (like Kathleen Marshall), who know the material, get the style, have done their research on the history of the show.

There's not enough time in 2 weeks of rehearsals to re-invent the show. No time with only 2 days of full tech to refine the choreography, sets, costumes, lights and sound, nor the performances. All the collaborators need to know what they're doing.

The talk around Mack and Mabel has always been “It’s his greatest score: It just needs a new production. Everyone will love it and it will become a huge hit.” Well, Encores gave it a shot—Herman had always refused Encores because he wanted a full Bway production. When no production was in sight, Encores was finally okayed. Well, it still stinks as a show.

As will all the Herman’s shows, the books just meander. Even Hello, Dolly!, which we see perennially because Bway divas want to play her, has such a dated book.

R153 Midler's Dolly was the first full Broadway production in decades and the first one without Carol Channing in nearly 50 years.

I think you're confusing Dolly with Gypsy.

Dear World

[quote]It’s his greatest score

Who has said that, r152?

I will never understand DL's undying love for the utterly mediocre "They're Playing Our Song."

Ben Jones sings "Kiss Her Now" from Dear World at 54 Below...

Beautiful!

Christ, was WONDERFUL TOWN terrible. The director was in way over his head and his approach was all wrong for the material. Misconceived and miscast from beginning to end. Well, beginning to middle — we walked out at intermission. There is no excuse for the complete lack of professionalism on that stage tonight. Major parts were fumbled by mediocre hack actors.

And there wasn’t a single looker in the male chorus. Now, I ask you!

[quote]Why they've done "revivals" like FIORELLO!, CALL ME MADAM and the present WONDERFUL TOWN beggars the imagination

It seems very clear that WONDERFUL TOWN was done again by Encores! specifically as a showcase for POC performers. That was their reason, I'm sure, whether or not any of us agree that it was a good reason.

R153, there's nothing "meandering" about the book of HELLO, DOLLY! What a weird comment.

hmmm

I'm not sure how I feel about this

[Quote] Who has said that, [R152]?

Herman himself said it many times. He felt M&M was his best score

[Quote] there's nothing "meandering" about the book of HELLO, DOLLY! What a weird comment.

It totally meanders with extraneous lines and scenes. The movie at least was able to tighten it up a bit

"I will never understand DL's undying love for the utterly mediocre "They're Playing Our Song.""

Robert Klein looked like he had Bell's Palsy while singing.

[quote]Robert Klein looked like he had Bell's Palsy while singing.

I once made a similar comment on DL (without specifically mentioning Bell's palsy) and was raked over the coals for it.

[quote]It totally meanders with extraneous lines and scenes. The movie at least was able to tighten it up a bit

R164, both of your statements about the book of HELLO, DOLLY! are false, and if anything, the movie expands rather than tightens the book of the stage musical.

You were right, R166. And it looks like he's doing it on purpose.

[quote]I once made a similar comment on DL (without specifically mentioning Bell's palsy) and was raked over the coals for it.

It was a kindler, gentler Datalounge, r166.

[Quote] both of your statements about the book of HELLO, DOLLY! are false, and if anything, the movie expands rather than tightens the book of the stage musical.

I’ve seen both and the movie certainly expands the scene but cuts out the extraneous parts of the play

[Quote] I’ve seen both

It’s a gay forum. That’s understood.

Saw Boop, loved Boop, and the Tony nominators practically ignored it. Death Becomes Her is a total shitshow and they heap praise on it. I hope DBH gets completely shut out.

[quote]I’ve seen both and the movie certainly expands the scene but cuts out the extraneous parts of the play

Since you've now stated this twice, can you give some examples of "extraneous" scenes in the book of the stage musical of HELLO, DOLLY! I would say the only scenes that could be thought of as extraneous are the scenes with Ernestina, and I think there's more of her in the movie than in the show.

[quote]Since you've now stated this twice, can you give some examples of "extraneous" scenes in the book of the stage musical of HELLO, DOLLY!

The songs.

CBS did a wonderful profile of Cole this morning. Never knew about their rough childhood. Makes me like them even more.

How many Coles are there?

[quote]Herman himself said it many times. He felt M&M was his best score

Plain or Peanut?

[quote] How many Coles are there?

Wells ya got ya Nat King Cole and Old King Cole and RC Cole and....

[quote] The talk around Mack and Mabel has always been “It’s his greatest score: It just needs a new production. Everyone will love it and it will become a huge hit.” Well, Encores gave it a shot

The shot Encores gave it was with two miscast leads with zero star quality (and Doug Sills looked fat and ancient). It got a shot, but not a fair one.

I would not rank MACK AND MABEL among the huge misfires at Encores! I thought it was a fine production, though certainly not one of their best.

[quote]The talk around Mack and Mabel has always been “It’s his greatest score: It just needs a new production.

Jerry and who else, r163?

"Tap Your Troubles Away" on the original cast album of "M&M" is sung by Lisa Kirk who also originated the role of Bianca in "Kiss Me Kate" and dubbed Roz Russell in "Gypsy".

Saint Aloysius!

While I'd agree that Doug Sills was a very disappointing Mack, I'm not sure I'd say he was miscast. He just didn't seem into it, like he knew it was a lousy production and wasn't giving anything.

I can't even remember who played Lottie. Was it Emily Skinner?

[quote]Lisa Kirk who also originated the role of Bianca in "Kiss Me Kate"

Lois Lane, r182.

[quote]Wells ya got ya Nat King Cole and Old King Cole and RC Cole and....

Natalie Cole, Tina Cole, Dennis Cole, Cole Porter, England Dan and John Ford Coley and ...

Beautiful, clean Cole.

I always thought in the original Mack & Mabel that Mary McCarty, who'd just made a big comeback in Follies, should have played Lottie. She was a perfect fit if they'd played her based on Marie Dressler. And she would have killed Tap Your Troubles Away. Lisa Kirk brought nothing but Lisa Kirk.

[quote]r188 = Lisa Kirk brought nothing but Lisa Kirk.

And Mary McCarty would have brought nothing but Mary McCarty. What's your point?

She was a shitty writer, too.

I enjoyed the Mack and Mabel at Encores, not great but better than a lot of them, and a thousand times better than the wreck playing there right now.

In the stage version of HD, Ernestina doesn't appear until the beginning of Act II and is there for comic relief during the Harmonia Gardens sequence. She has all of about ten lines.

r192 Would've been the perfect part for Beanie Feldstein.

Lilli Cooper played Lottie in Mack & Mabel at Encores. The biggest disappointment was Alexandra Socha as Mabel.

[Quote] Since you've now stated this twice, can you give some examples of "extraneous" scenes in the book of the stage musical of HELLO, DOLLY! I would say the only scenes that could be thought of as extraneous are the scenes with Ernestina, and I think there's more of her in the movie than in the show.

The scene when she’s talking to her dead first husband goes on a bit too long in the play. In the movie, it’s dispatched with two lines. Also, the scene with her playing with food in the play is unnecessary.

Beanie is Mame!

^^^^ Yes, by adding a totally unnecessary song for Babs: Love Is Only Love

[quote]^^^^ Yes, by adding a totally unnecessary song for Babs: Love Is Only Love

Which was cut from MAME. They added *two* songs for Ethel.

Douglas Sills was a fine Mack in the 2000 Reprise! L.A. "Mack & Mabel," opposite a well-cast Jane Krakowski (Kristin Chenoweth was announced for it first). Twenty years later in Encores! "Mack and Mabel," Sills was no longer in peak voice and did seem a bit tired.

Kristen would have been adorable. Yes, r199, good role for Jane.

Tailor-made for Datalounge:

People often leave Lavin out of the conversation but she was the only replacement casting for Rose in a Broadway production and played the tile for 5 months.

Did anybody see Linda Lavin’s performance?

It's okay to have a dysfunctional relationship at the heart of your musical if your show addresses it in a reasonably emotional intelligent way. Mack and Mabel just papers it over with sentimental cliches.

r202...

You forgot Cheryl Cole, R186.

Alice Rose

And Cole Escola.

And Cole Slaw.

[Quote] Did anybody see Linda Lavin’s performance?

I saw her on some televised award show. I actually loved her performance. It was the first time I realized the songs in Gypsy had melodies. I was so used to the Merman barking on the OBC.

Actually Beanie would have been a great princess in Once Upon a Mattress

Beanie would make a great Cole Escola in Oh Mary

Is she a Mary or an Abe?

I think she's more of a Buddy.

[quote]The scene when she’s talking to her dead first husband goes on a bit too long in the play. In the movie, it’s dispatched with two lines.

If you're talking about the speech to her dead husband just prior to "Before the Parade Passes By," what you wrote is completely inaccurate, but thanks for trying. That speech is nearly identical in length in both the show and the movie.

[quote]Also, the scene with her playing with food in the play is unnecessary.

When played properly, as it was by Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters, Donna Murphy, and others, that scene is a comic tour-de-force in the stage version of the show.

A video exists of Linda Lavin's complete performance in GYPSY. I thought she was wonderful in the role, despite Frank Rich's nasty pan of her performance.

The libretto of "Hello, Dolly" originated in an 1830s English one-act which became an Austrian farce which became a Thornton Wilder play which served as the basis for the musical. So it's a well traveled and resilient property, though certainly not an up to date one.

Beyond all the sneering about wokeness and DEI the fact is the culture has changed in fundamental ways that means certain shows and traditional ways of playing them run a considerable risk of giving the public the ick, as the kids say.

Agreed, R217, but I don't think that applies to HELLO, DOLLY! or even to WONDERFUL TOWN.

Maybe they're just too old fashioned and boring for youthful contemporary audiences. It happens.

I saw Lavin. She used an Irish brogue and stomped her feet a lot. Very little charm and, believe it or not, I preferred Tyne Daly's vocals. She also had zero chemistry with Jonathan Hadary. She was an angry, screechy Rose. And I say this as a fan.

How were her pauses?

[quote]How were her pauses?

Meno-

Beanie would be the perfect Gooch.

Give me a Gooch where you get a more dramatic transformation, r223.

"Why, Agnes, you *do* have a bust!"

[Quote] When played properly, as it was by Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters, Donna Murphy, and others, that scene is a comic tour-de-force in the stage version of the show.

It’s slapstick crap that slows the plot. Yes, it can be funny, but it can also easily be cut to tighten the show

winning x 4

This new WONDERFUL TOWN is very far from wonderful, and I think now most of the cast knows it. There sure were a LOT of empty seats at Friday night's performance, and that number increased after the intermission.

Anika Noni Rose is totally miscast and misdirected. After this and her terrible performance (miscast, again) in UNCLE VANYA, it's imperative that she find something that suits her talents, and a director that gets them. She's so damn talented. I had hopes that CARMEN JONES would transfer to Broadway in 2018, but that obviously never happened. What a revival that was, and Rose killed it.

If that central miscasting were the only issue, the show might be worth seeing. But it's actually one of the show's more minor problems. It drags when it should zip, many of the performances are subpar, and a lot of the numbers just clunk about. It's readily apparent that the director does not understand this show. Nor does the choreographer. And damn, I now realize how brilliant Donna Murphy was when she did this two decades ago. I couldn't stop thinking about her performance as this leaden revival carried on.

The evening is not a total loss. That score is glorious, and the Encores! orchestra sounds great, and when the entire chorus stands still and sings together, magic threatens to occur.

[quote]I saw Lavin. She used an Irish brogue and stomped her feet a lot. Very little charm and, believe it or not, I preferred Tyne Daly's vocals.

At least Tyne didn't scat during "Rose's Turn."

R226 would cut Over The Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz.

Preston looks very porno in R227’s clip.

Was the Tony nominating committee unfair to Redwood?

Would Redwood have faired better if Ming Cho Lee were still alive?

Can those LED screens be repurposed elsewhere?

How did they ever raise $16M to do this show? Like, how long would it have had to run to recoup that? 18 mths - 2 years?

We mourn Redwood.

Said no one.

Yes, R226, that bit can easily be cut to tighten the show, but one could say the same about most or all of the songs in any musicals, plus I've never thought of HELLO, DOLLY! as overlong. You seem obsessed with the length of the show, which is weird, because there are so many others that really are overlong and could and should easily be cut.

Looks like Cole will exiting right after the Tonys.

R228: Anika Noni Rose was terrible as Maggie in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” the worst production of that play I’ve seen in any medium.

Broadways new Roxie Hart is taking tonite off to attend the Met Gala. Such dedication.

It'll be interesting to see who plays Mary for the last eight weeks after Titus.

The Tony Committee will see a show months ago and then see these new ones that just get under the gun and are fresh and they win The Tony.

Back when they were a thing, how were show doctors paid? Was it just a flat rate or did they get any kind of royalty? And did they get credits?

Show doctors rarely if ever got credit (most didn't want credit) and the fees were usually a flat rate, no royalty.

One of the biggest problems with Broadway musicals today is there are no clever people - directors, writers or whatever - to call in when your show is in trouble. Is Stro going to call in Gattelli? Is Jerry Mitchell going to call in Stro? I don't think so.

r241 Thanks for the info!

I'd love to see Michael Urie as Mary Todd Lincoln.

Elliot Page and Laverne Cox would be amazing in Romeo & Juliet.

How so, r244?

I suspect r244 is striving for the coveted DL "Wit".

R243, I like that suggestion.

Who wrote the new lyrics in Wonderful Town? Some of the cultural references had been changed, like bell hooks subbing for Aristotle in that last revival of The Skin of Our Teeth.

R243 that is a genius suggestion......only on DL could one find an insight like that.

Someone suggested that Adolph Green's daughter Amanda might have tinkered with the lyrics. There's a mention of Langston Hughes in "Conga" that wasn't there before.

I thought I read that Eisa Davis was listed in the Encores' program with script updates. Perhaps that also included lyrics.

[quote]Who wrote the new lyrics in Wonderful Town? Some of the cultural references had been changed, like bell hooks subbing for Aristotle in that last revival of The Skin of Our Teeth.

They'd better keep their grubby little mitts off of "Beebe's bathysphere!"

[quote]They'd better keep their grubby little mitts off of "Beebe's bathysphere!"

Not to mention...

Adam Lambert will be Judas to Cynthia Erivo's Jesus at the Hollywood Bowl JCS

Whoever did Adam’s makeup and styling is the real Judas

The Cruella look is *so* passé.

r254 Shouldn't he be Mary Magdalene?

One positive thing you can say for the new Encores Wonderful Town is that it’s brought all the DL Theatre Gossipers together. Everyone is united in absolutely loathing it, a rare occurrence.

R257. Hey! That's MY role!

Did someone say LOATHING?

Linda Lavin is John Kerry as Mama Rose!

"Purpose" by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins wins the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The other finalists were "Oh, Mary!" by Cole Escola and "The Ally" by Itamar Moses.

[quote]The other finalists were "Oh, Mary!"

Maybe next year they can expand the award to consider some other SNL skits.

Who the hell wants to see ANY woman play Jesus (or Judas, for that matter) in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR? Stop the madness!!!!!

Idina should go do "Oh, Mary".

She could use a hit.

Do y'all think Oh Mary will get a London production?

A tour?

And, what does Cole Escola do next? He's not exactly an easy to cast type. Can he write himself another hit or does that lightening only strike once?

I could see Cole getting some kind of sketch comedy show on HBO.

As long as his hair gets lightened only once.

I think that short where Cole plays the woman who has to sell the haunted house hints that he’s more than just a one-trick pony. At one point he plays several different people who confront the realtor at the house and he’s very good.

I don’t know what Oh Mary is like, but in several other female roles he’s playing a female, not a man in drag doing a campy version of a woman.

[quote] A tour?

He’ll probably play S.F. (for the gay crowd adulation) and L.A. (for the industry access) and leave the rest of it to someone else.

Nathan Lane in Oh, Mary?

Never thought I'd see Cole Escola that close to a Pulitzer.

I very much doubt Nathan Lane would get anywhere near someone else's goulash. What about John Early? Jinkx Monsoon? Amy Sedaris?

Billy Porter IS Mary!

[quote]Would Redwood have faired better if Ming Cho Lee were still alive?

It wouldn't have even fared better.

[quote]You ruminate over A Chorus Line poster (non-vintage!) in yer toilet? Braggart!

[quote] Well, if you really want to go there, I have the silver vintage original OBC poster one in my bedroom.

Oh Ladies, I have the DVD signed by Miss Audrey Landers, so there.

You win, r275.

[quote]Never thought I'd see Cole Escola that close to a Pulitzer.

Oh, I don't know -- he might have a few vintage Lilly Pulitzer frocks in his extensive wardrobe.

Rose Hovick stuns at the Met

R278, I will say it’s best she’s looked in a long time.

[quote]One positive thing you can say for the new Encores Wonderful Town is that it’s brought all the DL Theatre Gossipers together. Everyone is united in absolutely loathing it, a rare occurrence.

and I have I tickets to see it tomorrow...will suffer through 2.5 hours because I paid alot for these tickets

Audra's dress is ghastly.

Did she spill spaghetti all down the front?

[quote] Did she spill spaghetti all down the front?

She did. She was hungry during the intermission and walked to the nearby Italian restaurant. She ordered spaghetti with tomato sauce. She was so entranced by the taste that she almost forgot the second act was starting. She ran (with the spaghetti) and almost tripped. She spilled it all over her dress.

She was upset but the show must go on!

Pasta pause

R278, I'm so glad you didn't call her mama Rose

That is a very judiciously placed mega-peplum on r278.

If you can't fix it, r285, feature it.

Pasta Rose.

Nicole and Tom at the Met Gala tonight. Nicole looks like a Hollywood bombshell and Tom is dreamy.

They have pasta at Chipotle?

Will Audra perform tomorrow?

I will say I was entranced by the color and overall look, I didn't even notice the spaghetti noodle front of her dress.

And I’m a Tony voter!

[quote]Audra's dress is ghastly.

R281 = Gloria Upson

R236,

I missed that production of CAT. Why was it so bad? Even with James Earl Jones as Big Daddy?

I will admit that after seeing the back-to-back performance bombs of UNCLE VANYA and WONDERFUL TOWN, I'm beginning to wonder if Rose actually has a very limited range. Your summation of her Maggie the Cat is only adding fuel to that fire.

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1976, a revival of “The Pirates of Penzance” opened at the Uris Theatre.

Ragtime coming to Lincoln Center for 14 weeks from October to January.

Worst kept secret in the biz!

[QUOTE] They have pasta at Chipotle?

Yes, they do.

Groff sings " Beyond the Sea." Don't see anything of Darin, but he sounds good.

[quote]I will admit that after seeing the back-to-back performance bombs of UNCLE VANYA and WONDERFUL TOWN, I'm beginning to wonder if Rose actually has a very limited range. Y

I would say she does have quite a limited range, but there are still lots of roles she could play well if she could get herself cast in those rather than in roles she doesn't fit. I will say received a lot of praise for CARMEN JONES even though she was somewhat miscast in that part as well.

The new grosses are in.

I saw Just In Time over the weekend and had an absolute ball. Groff is having a blast and his joy is infectious. It’s ain’t Long Day’s Journey. It’s just fun and I can’t recommend it enough.

The logo for the new Ragtime is quite something.

Boop and Dead Outlaw might just limp to the Tonys. Real Women Have Curves will be out of here by Memorial Day.

Good Night and Good Luck hits 4M!

From those new grosses it looks like Just in Time is a smash hit.

Smash on the other hand, not so much. Or Real Women Have Curves and, erm, Floyd Collins.

Groff is going to win the Tony again. He’s minted.

R228: In Tennesee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Big Daddy Pollitt is a poor Mississippi Delta sharecropper’s son at the turn of the century, who by sheer meanness, shrewdness and dirty dealing becomes a wealthy farmer and plantation owner by mid-century. When an all black cast was announced for a Broadway revival in 2008, there was grumbling about how impossible this would have been for a black family in the south at that time, and indeed, some pertinent dialogue rang false because of that, but as a lover of Williams plays, I was open-minded about the casting, and eager to see what they would do.

Debbie Allen directed and told the press she was proud of the fact that the cast would not be acting the poetic, incantatory dialogue in the usual way, but were aiming for a more realistic directness, or some such bullshit. This was the first clue that Allen didn’t know what she was doing, and fundamentally misunderstood the essence of the play. The beauty and rhythm of Williams words and lines, his poetic cadences, are crucial to any good production, as much as in Shakespeare, I think. Of course she may have had to work around the shortcomings of her cast, maybe especially the relatively inexperienced Terrence Howard.

These days, the part of Big Daddy is probably the hardest to cast, especially with a star name, because you really need a big, magnetic actor with vocal power. James Earl Jones was the ideal reason to do the revival, at least on paper. Sadly, he was terrible in the role. Supposedly he was already having trouble remembering lines, so maybe that sapped his usual confidence and bravado. He had plenty of both in “Fences” more than a decade earlier. But what we saw on stage was a diminished man, without energy, conviction or vocal power. Maybe that deflated the whole production, because it was inert, dead on arrival. As I recall it was only Terrence Howard as Brick, incredibly enough, who had any magnetism amd charisma onstage. He had no chemistry whatever with Anika Noni Rose’s Maggie, who just seemed like a bored, sulky debutante, lacking in resourcefulness and sex appeal. Watching her flailing in the part I realized for the first time how really good Elizabeth Taylor was in the movie. I remember nothing about Phylicia Rashad as Big Mama, so I guess she was lacking in pathos.

As a fan of the play, I thought it was a shambles, a dull misfire. Though I think the same production with a different cast won an Olivier for Best Revival when it moved to London. So go figure.

“Dead Outlaw” isn’t doing so wellconsidering the positive reviews and box office off-Broadway. Is it too early for the good reviews to have shown up in last week’s gross?

Let’s face it Groff is soon to be a back-to-back Tony winner a la Laurie Metcalf. Floyd Collins is a bomb.

R306: There is a strong disconnect between the critics and audiences’ opinions on this show. I keep hearing on the Reddit boards that it’s hard to understand the lyrics because the music is so loud. If it doesn’t win Best Musical and/or continues with these grosses, it will likely close.

R306: A lot of the tickets are probably comped or TDF.

“Floyd Collins” may be a bomb, but no one thinks it will win for Best Musical Revival anyway. So how does that effect voting for Jeremy Jordan, who’s reallly good and sings passionately? Surely a lot of Tony voters will give it a look despite the reviews? Isn’t it in Broadway’s best interest to anoint a potential new, attractive musical star?

[quote] Groff sings " Beyond the Sea." Don't see anything of Darin, but he sounds good.

He's not doing an imitation, he's doing a homage, Audiences are learning him discography and life.

[quote]“Dead Outlaw” isn’t doing so well considering the positive reviews and box office off-Broadway. Is it too early for the good reviews to have shown up in last week’s gross?

DO-DOA?

Boring, overpriced vehicle. If George Looney wasn’t it, it would’ve closed on page 3.

Now R311, if you actually saw it...

[QUOTE] Let’s face it Groff is soon to be a back-to-back Tony winner a la Laurie Metcalf.

Could Kara Young potentially become another back-to-back Tony winner? I don’t see that category as particularly strong this year. And Bianca Leigh should have been nominated for “Oh, Mary!”

Although they might want to finally reward Jessica Hecht who is on her third nomination.

Isn't Floyd Collins a limited run?

Stranger Things had a drastic drop off.

I don't think Groff will be a back to back. You're ruling out Criss, which is foolish.

Here's my marketing pitch - have Audra and Nicole switch roles for a week, then we can decide who gets the TONY.

Said it on the last thread and I'll say it again here - there hasn't been a Tonys with this much uncertainty in every category in forever. I wonder if it will spark higher ratings.

Weren't Dead Outlaw's, REal Women's and Stranger Things' box office strongly affected by comping for last week's openings?

Tourists, especially foreign tourists, don't want to spend a lot of hard-earned money on a musical called Dead Outlaw.

[quote]I wonder if it will spark higher ratings.

Bless your heart, r318.

A 2.9 rating instead of 2.8

R317, you think Nicole could handle Gypsy? The cow, maybe.

Neither Nicole or Audra are selling tickets. I would love to see an upset in that category and have Jasmine or Simard sneak in.

[quote]Let’s face it Groff is soon to be a back-to-back Tony winner a la Laurie Metcalf. Floyd Collins is a bomb.

Even if Jeremy Jordan doesn't get lots of votes, I think many people feel Darren Criss is formidable competition for Groff.

[quote] Could Kara Young potentially become another back-to-back Tony winner? I don’t see that category as particularly strong this year.

I think Jessica Hecht will win it. I thought she was especially great in Eureka Day, with a very tricky character. It's her third nomination and might be her time this year.

It’s Best Actress, not Best Ticket Seller.

It's incredibly annoying when bitches like R314 accuse people who post here of not actually having seen the shows they're writing about, when there's no freaking way they could possibly know that. So cut the shit, guys.

R326,

I don't even think Kara Young was the best featured actress in PURPOSE. I think Alana Arenas killed it, and it stuns and saddens me that she was the only cast member not nominated.

Don't get it twisted, though. Young isn't bad, mind you. Far from it. But is her performance so wonderful that she merits a second Tony in a row?

Nope.

The award should go to Jessica Hecht. She was brilliant in the show: hilarious, believable and eventually heartbreaking. I think Eureka Day will win for Best Revival, and Hecht will be that show's other deserved win.

Drama Critics' Circle Awards just announced!

Best Musical: Maybe Happy Ending

Best Play: Purpose

Best Individual Performance: Andrew Scott, Vanya

Best Ensemble Performance: The cast of Liberation

Special Citations: Cole Escola for Oh, Mary!; Cats: The Jellicle Ball; David Greenspan for lifetime achievement

I think everyone is underestimating how much momentum MAYBE HAPPY ENDING has coming into the Tony Awards, and how Darren Criss will likely be able to ride that wave into the winner's circle.

Criss is terrific in a show that's a major player this year. The same cannot be said for Jeremy Jordan in the turgid FLOYD COLLINS. Groffsauce is major competition for the trophy and would likely be the favorite if he hadn't just won last year. I expect the vote will be close.

Sorry, forgot to list the runners-up to the Drama Critics' Circle Awards:

Best Play runners-up, in order of placement after Purpose: The Hills of California, John Proctor is the Villain, Liberation

Best Musical runners-up: None. Maybe Happy Ending slayed all competitors on the first ballot.

Best Individual Performance runners-up, in order of placement after Andrew Scott: Cole Escola and Sarah Snook (tied), then Jasmine Amy Rogers

Best Ensemble Performance runners-up, in order of placement after Liberation: The Hills of California, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Purpose

R305,

Thank you for that detailed, thoughtful explanation. I actually did my Master's thesis on the late plays of Williams two years ago, but till recently was more a major fan of Williams rather than any sort of expert.

As you described the production, it sounds dreadful, and dreadfully misconceived. Racial issues aside given the time period, why bother to do Williams if you're not going to embrace the poetry and beauty of his language? What an idiot Allen was to strip that away.

I am saddened to hear that James Earl Jones wasn't able to do Big Daddy justice. Obviously the part came too late in his fabled career, as we all know what he was capable of when going full blast. Or perhaps he didn't respond to the Rose and Howard, who didn't do the West End production and were replaced by Sanaa Lathan and Adrian Lester, both of whom got far better reviews than their Broadway counterparts. Jones did get nominated for an Olivier, so perhaps he got better in the role with time.

I saw CAT with James Earl Jones, and though of course his performance was perhaps not as energetic as seamless as it would have been years earlier, I would rate it as a much better performance than R305's description. Maybe he saw him on a bad night.

He was pretty lively as grandpa in YCTIWY

You Can’t Take it With You

Jonathan Groff and Gracie Lawrence on Seth Meyers tonight

Hard pass

Is there still talk of Glengarry bringing in a female cast when the current cast wraps next month?

I wondered that too r339. It seems like LuPone is likely attached if so as her concert calendar is light in the late summer/fall of this year.

I would say GLENGARRY is pretty much a flop, so they probably won't be bringing in a female cast after all. I suppose it could still happen if there is nothing else to go into the Palace, but if they bring in a female cast and the box office receipts plummet further to levels resembling those of the all-female 1776, that would be extremely embarrassing.

I’m surprised that Kieran Culkin wasn’t nominated. I’m quite sure he was expecting to be on the heels of an Emmy and Oscar win. I haven’t seen this production but was he just not good? Miscast? I believe he is playing the Al Pacino role.

R342, he was not very good in the role, partly because he was so seriously miscast.

I'd have to go back and look, but it felt like Kieran and Bill Burr were the ones sent out to heavily pimp the show. I don't immediately recall Bob Odenkirk doing the talk shows, giving interviews, etc.

Odenkirk was on Morning Joe solo this morning.

Culkin was miscast and was not giving 100% or close to it; would have been not good even if he had been properly cast.

[quote] I would say GLENGARRY is pretty much a flop, so they probably won't be bringing in a female cast after all. I suppose it could still happen if there is nothing else to go into the Palace, but if they bring in a female cast and the box office receipts plummet further to levels resembling those of the all-female 1776, that would be extremely embarrassing.

It's not a great production - but it's not a flop, at least not financially. It's been bringing in $2.3 million every week for the last four weeks, at an average ticket price of over $225. Next to Good Night, and Good Luck and Othello, it's the next highest grossing play right now. Musicals would kill to be doing numbers like that.

Yeah...not sure how it's a "flop" when it sold at 97% capacity last week.

Sorry, I meant GLENGARRY is pretty much an artistic flop, and I really don't think they would bring in an all-female cast unless they could get one or two really big stars -- bigger than Patti LuPone. The financial success of the show right now is entirely dependent on the stars, but I am frankly surprised it's doing as well as it is, given the reviews and the competition.

I don’t get the Groff love. He is sooo mediocre—and the show has a chorus-boy-sings-Darin-karaoke quality.

GLENGARRY is a play that husbands want to see. Whether they really know what it's about or not.

Is anyone really jonesin' for an all female GGR?

It's a show about toxic masculinity.

I'm shocked at how poorly Stranger Things did last week. In hindsight they should've waited until the season five finale.

R353 I was thinking the same thing...weird timing on their part.

Also: it feels like the bloom is off the rose. Stranger Things feels like it has peaked.

Everyone hates that Millie Bobby Brady cow.

R354: The three year gap between seasons four and five didn't really help the Broadway production.

Culkin was badly miscast in GLENGARRY. I’m a fan of his but he may be limited to playing himself. But I also can’t think of an actor today who could play his part though. You need tremendous charisma. Alex Baldwin 20 years ago is all I came up with.

I’m a fan of Odenkirk but he wasn’t that strong in his role either. The other actors were excellent. They played the show for laughs which I kind of enjoyed, I can’t imagine a female cast in a play about toxic masculinity but whatever.

I could imagine Adam Driver or Michael Shannon doing well as Ricky Roma. Edward Norton could be another way to go.

Yeah, Adam Driver seems like a really obvious choice.

I saw GGR this afternoon and its biggest problems are the lousy sound mixing and the size of the venue. Nobody in the cast particularly stood out, but to not understand half of what Odenkirk is saying from the back of the Orchestra is preposterous. But the sheep keep coming, so...

Has anyone here worked with Jeffrey Seller or know him/has had him? Looking forward to reading his book.

[quote]I can’t imagine a female cast in a play about toxic masculinity but whatever.

When you have gimmick casting, does it really matter if the actors fit the message?

Allegedly before it didn’t happen, it was to star Patti LuPone and Natasha Lyonne. I wonder if the all female cast does happen, if those two still do it.

Despite their differing views, LuPone has a loyalty to Mamet and even did the awful Anarchist on Broadway with Debra Winger

[quote]Despite their differing views, LuPone has a loyalty to Mamet and even did the awful Anarchist on Broadway with Debra Winger

That was pre-Trump.

Cole out of both Oh Mary performances today.

R364 wouldn’t you?

This thread has really slowed down the past couple of days…What’s up?

Who is Cole’s understudy?

[quote]Who is Cole’s understudy?

Preempted by the Pope news

I hear that they want to extend The Last 5 Years, and an offer is out to a big female star. I don’t know who it is.

Obviously Pamela Myers.

I want a musical about the steamy love affair between the German Pope Benedict and hispersonal secretary Georg (Gorgeous Georg) Gänschwein.

R370 Betty Buckley *IS* Cathy!

Idina is free...

[qutoe] I hear that they want to extend The Last 5 Years, and an offer is out to a big female star. I don’t know who it is.

It's Lizzo. You said "big"....

It's slowed down because it WAS all abuzz with the season ending and tons of new shows opening and waiting for the Tony nominations.

Angry discussions will resume soon about who will win Tonys.

And, more posts about the shows soon to close.

Whew! The answer to theater's most pressing question:

[quote]For years, Michele has been the subject of a running-joke-slash-conspiracy-theory that she can’t read or write. The topic appears to have originated sometime around 2015 when it trended on social media, and has dogged the “Glee” actor and singer in the decade since then.

[quote]“Give me the notes ― I’m reading that,” she said as she grabbed host Jake Shane’s notecards and began reading some of the fan-submitted questions aloud. “Jonathan [Groff] is not here to read me this shit!”

R377. Lea then grabbed a wig and shit in it.

Chris Colfer could not be reached for a comment.

He was too busy enjoying his book royalties

[quote]I'm shocked at how poorly Stranger Things did last week. In hindsight they should've waited until the season five finale.

I don't understand, isn't it better to open in the midst of one of the TV show's seasons?

When are we calling it quits on Flop Collins?

[quote]This thread has really slowed down the past couple of days…What’s up?

Perhaps Audra hasn't missed any performances of "Gypsy" in the past few days.

Now that it's Tony voting season, R383, that wouldn't be surprising.

Is Glenn in a 5150?

Is Andrew Lloyd Weber really going to want the bloody version of SB to be made into a movie? It will taint it for all time.

There's no way the concept of the current SUNSET BLVD. would work as a film. They'd have to change it so much that it would bear no relation to the current stage production, so what would be the point?

Film the current Sunset for Great Performances. A big screen version would be a huge mistake. It's not Wicked.

[quote]It's not Wicked.

A witch is a witch, r388.

Tom Francis Is Ready to Flex His Muscles for Hollywood:

He needs to ditch the “k.d. lang” look he’s serving in that picture if he wants to go to Hollywood.

And the article refers to Groff as legendary"?

[quote]Is Andrew Lloyd Weber really going to want the bloody version of SB to be made into a movie? It will taint it for all time.

I really didn't need to think about Andrew Lloyd Webber's taint today.

☝️

🍆↔️🍑

👃

I guess this is that time of the year when every Broadway musical announces it will launch a national tour to pander to the Tony voters on the road, but can Maybe Happy Ending really create a tour with that phenomenally complicated set?

I hope it can as it's the rare original kind of show that audiences beyond Broadway need to see right now.

Audra out tonight. Let the screaming and scheming begin.

Monday was the Met Gala and yesterday was the big Tony nominee meet and greet. Cole was well enough to attend both but missed both shows yesterday. Audra was well enough to attend both but is out tonite. Back in the day, Betty Bacall would do interviews in her dressing room between performances, appeared on every talk show and was always doing publicity. Never missed a performance. It was a different time.

Well, Betty Bacall didn’t have a voice to lose and the chorus boys mostly carried her around.

Betty was different. She didn't even need caffeine.

[quote]I guess this is that time of the year when every Broadway musical announces it will launch a national tour to pander to the Tony voters on the road, but can Maybe Happy Ending really create a tour with that phenomenally complicated set?

The number one expense for touring Broadway shows is staff salary. A cast of four, possibly with no-name leads, will keep those costs down. While the set is complicated, it can be rethought for moving from city to city with a similar effect as the Broadway set. The orchestra is small, and costume maintenance is light. It sounds like a potential success for a tour, especially if it wins the Best Musical award.

But don't cut those fireflies!

I think that so much of the brilliance of the Maybe Happy Ending sets are the backstage spaces you don't see and how such big set pieces are stored and hidden. Reconfiguring all that for a tour, where the backstage spaces vary wildly, and if the stops are 2-3 weeks or less is gotta be complicated. Of course, unless the sets are dumbed way down which would be a shame.

I also think they'd be foolish to tour without a name star (or two) but having to find young Asian stars with name recognition will be even harder.

R401 Very very few tours have any kind of "star" attached anymore and they do fine.

[quote]Audra out tonight. Let the screaming and scheming begin.

Or, rather, let it continue :-)

[quote]Monday was the Met Gala and yesterday was the big Tony nominee meet and greet. Cole was well enough to attend both but missed both shows yesterday. Audra was well enough to attend both but is out tonite.

I really thought she would try to have a perfect attendance record between the Tony noms and the awards ceremony, but I guess not. Just wait and see how often she'll call out after the ceremony, whether or not she wins.

As a reminder Anika Noni Rose did get a Tony nomination for CAT

This production of Sunset just exposes what an utter bore the show actually is. Nicole’s two songs are the only moments the show is interesting. Otherwise it clunks along

[QUOTE] As a reminder Anika Noni Rose did get a Tony nomination for CAT

No, she didn’t.

R404 as a reminder, she was famously snubbed because she was so awful in the role.

She won for Caroline or Change and that’s it.

[Quote] No, she didn’t.

She actually DID get a nomination for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

No she got one for A Raisin in the Sun, not Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

The long titles can be confusing

R404 and r408 here is her page and her nominations and she was not nominated for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

She should have been!

Anika Noni Rose did NOT receive a Tony nom for CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. Why are people wasting time and space here arguing over a fact that's easily verifiable? And why would some people insist she did received the nom when it's quite easy to check and find out that she didn't?

I once was standing in front of Anika in a line at LaGuardia, and I turned to compliment her on her performance in CAROLINE, and how much I admired the show. She stared at me and asked if she could move in front of me in the line.

She should run for Congress.

Poor Anika—she gets all the DL bullshit when Audra’s not around.

At least y’all are consistent!

R413 on the one had I’m obsessed with her response because it would totally be a Betty Buckley or Patti LuPonr response. On the other hand, she’s nowhere in that league career wise, so it’s also funny to me that she would be that way.

Huh? What?

[quote]The long titles can be confusing

Especially when they're reduced to initials on DL.

R413, I got a chuckle out of your story, but it sounds made up, because what would Anika have to gain by moving one place forward in line?

One step closer to the popcorn, r419.

The popcorn? At an airport?

Was it Frontier Airlines?

So I’m at the airport STRESSED because I hate flying, and this guy starts asking me about a show I was in. And then he starts talking about Follies and where the right place is to put a pause when you’re acting and Tyne Daly and Linda Lavin in Gypsy and then Bonnie Franklin and I’m watching the line ahead of him move closer and closer to getting on the plane. And here I stand trying to comprehend some minute point he’s trying to make about Mame. So finally, I asked if I could just go ahead of him to be with the rest of the line that is getting on the plane. And now I come here finding that he is being a bitch about me.

CUNT!

[QUOTE] On the other hand, she’s nowhere in that league career wise, so it’s also funny to me that she would be that way.

It’s giving Alison Pill vibes.

Or Jennifer Lopez.

This thread is a bigger flopper than Audra's Gypsy.

I'll never understand why the resistance to letting a thread last. This one's only been around since Friday. Do we need a new theatre thread every week?

[quote] Poor Anika—she gets all the DL bullshit when Audra’s not around. At least y’all are consistent!

I got to meet Miss Rose at the Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS Annual Flea Market. It was before "Dreamgirls" and I have the DVD of "From Justin To Kelly", her movie debut, signed!

What do you mean, R427? As far as I can tell, every thread goes to about 600 entries before being retired.

That surprised me R428.

Who knew she could write!

What I mean, R429, is the feeling that we've got to fill up a theatre thread as soon as possible, ideally in a week or less.

[quote]the feeling that we've got to fill up a theatre thread as soon as possible

Where are you getting that, r431? The threads do as they're going to do.

This coming week ...

MONDAY -- Nicole Scherzinger on CBS Mornings and Michael McKean on The Tonight Show

TUESDAY -- Darren Criss on CBS Mornings and Jonathan Groff on The Kelly Clarkson Show

WEDNESDAY -- Bernadette Peters, Darren Criss, and Natasha Hodgson & Danny Ricker perform from Operation Mincemeat on The Kelly Clarkson Show, plus Cole Escola on Late Night with Seth Meyers

THURSDAY -- Dead Outlaw performs on Today, Nick Jonas and Bernadette Peters on Live with Kelly and Mark, and Sarah Snook on Late Night with Seth Meyers

FRIDAY -- Smash performs on The View

Will SMASH even be running on Friday?

ALL That Chat siding with producers that it's tough shit if your big star is announced out an hour and half before curtain.

R435. This is my favorite post from the extremely long Audra thread on ATC.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume Audra had one too many drinks the night before and woke up with a splitting headache that didn’t dissipate as the day wore on. Perhaps, in that case, you might be justified in putting part of the blame on her. But guess what? That’s all baseless speculation — in fact, I clearly just made that up. WE DON’T KNOW what the reason for her absence was or what time she informed the theater. And in the absence of actual facts, it behooves us all to reserve our judgment. How can we say that a performer should have done this instead of that when we have no idea what she actually did or didn’t do in the first place?

Cramps perhaps?

[quote]ALL That Chat siding with producers that it's tough shit if your big star is announced out an hour and half before curtain.

I'm sure it's not everyone at All That Chat. Only the dolts, of which there are regrettably many.

They're all piling on poor Tabernathy.

For reasons known to Tabernathy, r439.

Much of the current controversy over Audra's latest absence at All That Chat pointlessly centers around a silly argument whether it's her own responsibility or that of the producers as to how far in advance of showtime her absences are announced. On the one hand, I believe (as was the case with Lindsay Mendez and MERRILY) that the producers very purposely hold off on announcing the absences as long as possible. But of course none of us can know when Audra calls out, so as far as that goes, all speculation is just that. On the OTHER hand, people are allowed to hold the opinion that the star of a show, especially one who is the raison d'etre for the entire production, should only miss when absolutely necessary, and that Audra is not following that playbook.

Raison D’etre in the Sun

Should there be some kind of Equity rule that a performer must call out by a certain time or not go on?

R443. Absolutely not

[quote]Should there be some kind of Equity rule that a performer must call out by a certain time or not go on?

Wanna try that again?

I can't wait for this chain the moments after Audra wins the Tony.

Why, R446? We'll just hear from the same posters giving us the same tired reasons why she shouldn't have won, how she was miscast to begin with, how her voice was wrong for the role, how all of her Tonys have been undeserved . . .

R446. I think you care more about Audra winning the Tony than Audra does.

...or what will we hear from the Audra fans when Nicole wins the Tony? Or, what will we hear from the Audra and Nicole fans when Jasmine wins the Tony?

Jasmine could be the Judy Holliday in all this.

By now the Producers should have an UNDERSTUDY GYPSY sign ready.

[quote]On the OTHER hand, people are allowed to hold the opinion that the star of a show, especially one who is the raison d'etre for the entire production, should only miss when absolutely necessary, and that Audra is not following that playbook.

Except no one here knows why she's calling out, so those declaring she "is not following that playbook" are talking out of their ass.

We do have a poster who claimed to have multiple friends within the Gypsy company, funny how they haven't been able to give any insider info.

True, R452, no one knows (or very few people know) why she's calling out. We only know that she know has had six unscheduled absences during the first five months of the show's run, plus three schedule absences (I believe those are the correct current figures). And some people would say that anyone with that kind of an attendance record should not be the above-the-title star of a Broadway show, or at the very least should have an alternate in the role and/or a limited schedule of six or seven perfs a week rather than eight. No matter what the reasons for each particular call-out.

Apropos this discussion, maybe we should all take a look at Donna Murphy. It seems that, at some point, she and/or people in the industry realized that she couldn't be counted on for eight performances a week. The last time she was contracted to do that was in THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE in 2011, and even that show had a limited run of less than three months. Otherwise, she's lately limited herself to shows that were set for very short runs (for example, Encores!), and I assume concerts and special appearances, plus of course her one-performance-a-week run in HELLO, DOLLY!, which turned out to be a perfect situation for her. Maybe Audra should consider a similar path for her career at this point, but some people would say they wish she had considered it before signing on for an open-ended run of GYPSY with no alternate.

Donna Murphy gave up doing 8 shows a week when she had a child and, sadly, her husband passed away a few years later. She chose to focus on her family. And weren't the Wonderful Town absences due to a serious vocal issue and not laziness? Hilty and Simard have had far more absences than Audra in the same time period. Hilty was out, again, last night. Some actors like Denzel and Jake, who never miss, are built for the stage. Others are not.

absences + ridiculously high ticket prices = very unhappy audiences

While I'm not excusing or defending the absences of Simard, Hilty and Audra, it's not fair to compare them to Denzel, Jake and Clooney, who don't have to slather on the makeup and wigs, squeeze themselves into uncomfortably tight undergarments and low cut gowns and prance around in high heels and sing their hearts out every night.

What's this about Jake Gyllenhaal and uncomfortably tight underwear?

R456, suddenly Othello seems like no fun at all.

R446, but that's what they signed up for.

Producers should put in contracts that the performer is on the hook for lost revenue for unexcused absences. They'll be sure to show up for work then.

Honestly, has Audra ever had a great track record when it comes to musicals? I saw Ragtime with the original cast 4 times and only saw her once.

R456. I guarantee you Iago is a more challenging role on every level than Rose.”

[quote]We only know that she know has had six unscheduled absences during the first five months of the show's run

All this discussion over 1.2 missed performances a month.

[quote]Honestly, has Audra ever had a great track record when it comes to musicals? I saw Ragtime with the original cast 4 times and only saw her once.

I believe she had a perfect track record for LADY DAY, apparently because that show required her to sing in a way that she did not feel was very taxing to her voice.

[quote]All this discussion over 1.2 missed performances a month.

That's a far higher absence rate than many people would consider acceptable for the over-the-title star of a Broadway show, especially during the first few months of its run. And those were only the unscheduled absences, on top of three scheduled absences and the entire week of performances that happened at the beginning of the run. And yes, we all understand that the lost week was not due, or not solely due, to Audra's inability to perform, but the fact remains that it was an entire extra week off for her.

So who’s on the bad attendance master list?

Sarah Porkalob

Donna Murphy

Laura Benanti

Audra McDonald

Megan Hilty

Patti Murin

Liza Minnelli

Martine McCutcheon

Anyone else of note?

[quote]but the fact remains that it was an entire extra week off for her

She was sick. You think any actor would prefer to be sick for a week over performing? Some of you act like she was lounging on a beach.

No, R465. I just meant it was an extra, unplanned week off from a very strenuous role.

R464, I seem to recall DL mentioning Jaquel Spivey missing a lot of performances in " A Strange Loop."

Jordan Fisher missed several Dear Evan Hansen and Sweeney Todd performances, didn't he?

[QUOTE] Raison D’etre in the Sun

Love this as a future thread title.

[quote]I don’t know what Oh Mary is like, but in several other female roles he’s playing a female, not a man in drag doing a campy version of a woman.

Like Kids in the Hall or Jack Plotnick.

R464, is this your first day here? You’re missing THE QUEEN of bad attendance!

r468 He missed a majority of DEH performances. During his run in Hadestown it was reported he'd miss once or twice a week. His fans will insist he was going through mental health issues or had an eating disorder or something, but that reminds me of Idina fans who insist she keeps having asthma attacks before big performances requiring her loud gasps for air, rather than her just having poor technique

In my opinion, Jordan Fisher is not that great a performer. A very limited talent, in fact. So if on top of that he has major attendance issues, why does he keep getting cast, often in roles that he doesn't fit? I guess he's cute, but not THAT cute.

I wanted to "Oh, DEAR!" Glenn Close on Instagram after she posted,

"You can't approach Norma with a faint heart. She tests your metal, demands that you dig deep."

Oh, DEAR!

Just discovered The Sunset Project podcast. I actually wish the episodes were longer and the host interviewed people associated with the show. But I'm enjoying it. Today I learned that ALW offered Patti the chance to replace Glenn in LA when she left for Broadway. He really is a dick.

[quote]We'll just hear from the same posters giving us the same tired reasons why she (Audra) shouldn't have won, how she was miscast to begin with, how her voice was wrong for the role, how all of her Tonys have been undeserved . . .

Well, we did say # 1 and #2, but I don't remember anyone saying that "...all of her Tonys have been undeserved >"

Nicole is contracted to 5 performances a week. Remember that when comparing her to Simard HIlty and Audra who are contracted for 8. So if they miss one a week, they’re still doing more than Nicole. Musicals used to be built for actors to be able to vocally breathe during a show. Now they’re not. Performers in Opera don’t do 8/week. It’s not vocally doable. Ballplayers don’t play 8 games a week. ANd probably you don’t run a marathon 8 times in a week. Stop with this demonization.

Word is the next Equity negotiations the union is going to demand the end of 5 show weekends for the touring shows.

But r477, Audra is singing the same score Merman sang 8 times a week, rarely missing a performance in 2 years. Did Tyne miss many performances?

Nicole is contracted to 7 performances a week, not 5, and recently said she would play 8 performances some weeks from now until closing.

R479. Tyne had vocal issues and was out now and then for a few performances at a time. Patti missed a total of three.

Good ol reliable Nathan...

Fine, R477. So if the current feeling is that eight performances a week is too much to ask of people, especially in strenuous roles, then the schedule should be reduced (which is never going to happen) or alternates should be hired for every challenging role. But the one thing that SHOULD NOT happen is that stars should not be scheduled for eight a week if they're going to miss frequently, whether their name is Audra McDonald, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Jordan Fisher, or Lindsay Mendez.

Opera singers don't do eight shows a week.

R482. Don't forget me!

"Tabernathy" HAS to be a Datalounger, too, right?

[quote]Well, we did say # 1 and #2, but I don't remember anyone saying that "...all of her Tonys have been undeserved >"

It's been said.

If you contract to do 8 shows a week, then you better show up for work unless you have Covid or something serious. They're supposed to be professionals.

[quote]"You can't approach Norma with a faint heart. She tests your metal, demands that you dig deep."

Perhaps dear Glennie has a pacemaker.

R477 the problem with your argument of “shows used to be built to let performers breathe” when the offending musical that is causing this particular leading lady to miss performances was written in 1959, 66 years ago. Also none of the previous women who played the role, had the issues that this leading lady is having.

Nicole’s role was written in 1992-1993 and the only time the original star missed performances, was when she was replaced for the Broadway premiere by a movie star and she reacted poorly to the news.

Believe it or not, these shows can be done 8 times a week, and have been for 100 years.

The inconvenient truth is that white people (especially white men) have more stamina/endurance than blacks, who tend to give up more easily and become lazy. It's not just a stereotype and explains why white men were able to conquer the world.

But Broadway is currently being run by radical "woke" progressives/feminists, who equate hard work with capitalism, white supremacy, and the patriarchy.

Thus, they want to lower the standards, because it will make blacks look bad, so they discourage whites from being industrious and they don't penalize blacks for absences.

Making it so that no one rises above the lowest of the low and everyone is on the same level is pure communism!

A similar thing is happening in schools in ultra-liberal states like California, who are doing away with standard testing/grading, because blacks generally score toward the bottom.

It's become a race to the bottom with the Left, whereas the Right believe that the cream rises to the top.

[quote]The inconvenient truth is that white people (especially white men) have more stamina/endurance than blacks, who tend to give up more easily and become lazy. It's not just a stereotype

It most certainly is, and a particularly fucked up one at that.

And now watch the DL posters who insist there's no racism behind the criticism of Audra studiously ignore the existence of r490.

[quote]$0.02

Not even worth half that.

[quote]"You can't approach Norma with a faint heart. She tests your metal, demands that you dig deep."

Is that anything like testing your mettle?

I knew this thread was shit when OP started it with their anti-trans bullshit. Now look where we are.

🤮

Jordan Fisher is now in "Moulin Rouge!". Keeps getting work.

No, R486. Some people here, myself have included, have stated that not all of Audra's Tonys were deserved, which is NOT the same thing as saying that all of her Tonys were undeserved. I sure hope you can understand the huge difference in the wording.

As for you, R492, no one has said there is NO racism behind the criticism of Audra in these threads, but of course, that doesn't mean there is racism in EVERY post that has criticized her vocal miscasting and her many absences in GYPSY.

As I've done before, I'm going to suggest that people whose reading comprehension hovers somewhere around the first grade level should probably refrain from posting here or anywhere online.

How interesting that while criticising other posts r497 decided to pass no comment at all about r490, just as I predicted.

“ I'm going to suggest that people whose reading comprehension hovers somewhere around the first grade level should probably refrain from posting here.”

Then how the fuck do you think I’ll earn advertising revenue to pay for my caftans and whores?

I can imagine R490 being aggressively unattractive but he pats himself on the back for being white and, therefore, somehow superior even though he is rarely fucked and is objectively ugly.

[QUOTE] How interesting that while criticising other posts [R497] decided to pass no comment at all about [R490], just as I predicted.

I noticed that too. Racist little turd-lette.

When someone goes into that much detail about how racism factors no way into XYZ, then you 100% know that it does.

Are you going to write a little essay about me now, R497?

Unlikely r501 - you’re not that interesting.

[quote]When someone goes into that much detail about how racism factors no way into XYZ, then you 100% know that it does.

So, you and your ilk are going to keep insisting there is racism behind EACH AND EVERY post that has criticized Audra McDonald for her vocal miscasting in Gypsy, and for the her missed performances? Tell us, please, if some of those posts also criticize Donna Murphy, Lea Michele, et al. for their attendance records, how can you have the nerve and stupidity to keep shouting "racism!"

You still haven’t addressed not mentioning R490 in your round-up of DL atrocities which is very, very interesting, R503. Was that actually you as well?

Bitch.

I did address it, R504. I noted that R490's post was so obviously, blatantly racist that I didn't think I need to mention is specifically in my post, which did acknowledge more generally that there is obviously racism behind SOME comments here. Meanwhile, neither you nor your ilk have said whether you believe there is racism behind EACH AND EVERY post that has been critical of Audra in GYPSY.

If you and your cohorts honestly can't see the difference between the statements "Audra is vocally wrong for the part of Rose" and "White people (especially white men) have more stamina/endurance than blacks, who tend to give up more easily and become lazy," then there is truly no hope for you.

I wonder what r503's black friend would think about their lack of criticism of r490. Because, yes, it's that poster. The same poster who also declared that believing black people should not be cast in Gypsy was a perfectly valid opinion to hold on artistic grounds and wasn't racist at all.

[quote]I did address it

Where? Quote you addressing it and give the post number.

[quote]If you and your cohorts honestly can't see the difference between the statements "Audra is vocally wrong for the part of Rose" and "White people (especially white men) have more stamina/endurance than blacks, who tend to give up more easily and become lazy," then there is truly no hope for you.

"I didn't say the n-word, what more do you want?"

[quote]So, you and your ilk are going to keep insisting there is racism behind EACH AND EVERY post that has criticized Audra McDonald for her vocal miscasting in Gypsy, and for the her missed performances?

Hardly. I and my ilk (I have some very lovely ilk) were specifically commenting on:

[quote]The inconvenient truth is that white people (especially white men) have more stamina/endurance than blacks, who tend to give up more easily and become lazy. It's not just a stereotype

Which is blatantly racist and totally fucked up.

“You and your ilk” / “you and your cohorts” - sweetie, I post and speak for myself and myself alone. I actually have not posted anything about Audra Gypsy (I haven’t seen it, but have enjoyed the recording) until just now mainly because of how annoying, condescending, and cunty you are and I felt like I had to address YOU in particular. Because you are horrid.

And your excuse for not addressing the racist post at R490 while taking literally everyone else to task for the most minutes transgressions reveals something about you that I don’t quite think you intended to reveal.

[quote]I suspect you have some particularly ugly ilk.

Hence the hoods

Today in Duh: Good Night, And Good Luck has recouped.

“Real Women Wear White Hoods”

[quote]As for you, [R492], no one has said there is NO racism behind the criticism of Audra in these threads, but of course, that doesn't mean there is racism in EVERY post that has criticized her vocal miscasting and her many absences in GYPSY.

I don't care about her color.I like Ms M. I met her at the Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS Flea Market years a go and have the "Annie" TV Movie signed. I'm an old Theater Queen who has been going to Broadway since we went to see shows in Jr high from Long Island. Since going to see a star in a show wasn't a crap shoot. Yeah, Audra has a spotty attendance record but I'm more perturbed about the "stars" of "Death Becomes Her", both Tony nominated and both apparently missing the same show.

So many cowards here, who don't hesitate to unfairly label other posters as racists when they can make that charge anonymously, but would never in a million years have the nerve and gall to do so if they had to identify themselves. And no, I am not referring to the post at R490, which is so horribly, blatantly racist that, of course, no one would disagree that the label applies.

The naming of Theatre Gossip #590 is gonna be LIT!*

Jasmine won the Outer Critics Circle award for best performance in a musical. I'm tellin' ya, she's taking that Tony home.

Oh boy, he's back!

Anyone else hear the rumor that Othello hasn't recouped?

NBC's going to air a Wicked concert special before For Good opens.

R519 Good lord, I forgot we're going to have to endure another round of those two.

Old Friends will hang around for two extra weeks.

R516: Regarding Jasmine Amy Rogers (god, I hate actors with three names I can only ever remember two if them).

Don’t Tony voters vote more strategically? Aren’t they thinking about the show itself as well as the star performer? This is a big debut for Rogers, she got great reviews and a Tony nod. Isn’t that quite enough for a newbie? Especially one in a show that most people aren’t interested in seeing (including some Tony voters presumably) and where a Tony win is probably not going to goose the box office much or at all?

I get that voting for her might appeal to voters tired of the various comtroversies and missed shows re the front runners. But enough to get her a Tony? I’m skeptical.

Also: Is she THAT good?

Boop on the Today Show.

r514 Aww, yes, you're the real victim, aren't you? Again, funny how you only criticise one side, no attacks on racists for using anonymity to post stuff they'd never say in real life. And even when you finally do comment on r490 - despite claiming you already did when you didn't - all you do is point out the obvious. None of the personal attacks or condemnations you save for others.

And by the way, if I heard someone in real life saying the kind of shit you say here I'd absolutely call them out.

More Boop on Today

R514 has run away to hide and try to come up with more flop responses. Racist SOW.

As far as newbies winning, don't forget the recent wins of the Hells Kitchen newbie and (I cannot remember her name or the show) but I think her big musical number was Burn it Down. And the HK actress was notorious for missing shows at that time.

Joaquina Kalukango, Paradise Square, and Maleah Joi Moon, Hell's Kitchen, R528.

529. Thank you.

I'm seeing Redwood on Wed at 7 via tdf. Any word on where the seats have been through this offer?

Will Old Friends ever be on tdf?

R531. My friend got TDF seats center orchestra towards the back. And she liked the show. Have fun!

She gives a pretty wooden performance.

How is Othello the most financially successful revival of all time? Ever heard of CHICAGO?

Othello is nothing but a tourist trap and an expensive ego trip.

Jasmine Amy Rogers beat Audra for OCC Award

Okay, R537, but is that a harbinger of anything? Isn’t one of the reasons she’s getting awards like this is because no one thinks she’s winning a Tony?

I'm not an ALW fan but I hope this happens. The Hellinger is a beautiful theatre.

Have you seen it recently?

[quote] I'm seeing Redwood on Wed at 7 via tdf. Any word on where the seats have been through this offer?

2nd branch from the top.

I've spotted OLD FRIENDS on TDF at least twice. Can't believe it won't be on TDF again. Just gotta be quick!

Old Friends is truly fabulous.

It’s too bad it’s a limited run.

[quote]when she was replaced for the Broadway premiere by a movie star and she reacted poorly to the news.

To imply that theatre star LuPone was replaced by “movie star” Glenn Close is ridiculous. Glenn Close has had a Broadway career going back to the early 1970s, and she’s won two Tony Awards. She’s hardly a “movie star” slumming in theatre.

Glenn has just as many Tonys as Patti does.

r543

I'm going to NYC at the end of June and was bummed that I missed Old Friends by a few weeks so I bought other tickets and now they extend

Close's Tonys also include one for a play -- LuPone's never even been nominated for a play. Then again, LuPone's scored 8 nominations to Close's 4.

The "movie star" point isn't irrelevant, though -- LuPone's never had a major film career by any definition, while Close of course has had one of the most substantial such careers of the women of her generation, with the 8 Oscars nominations to prove it (5 of those before she first did SUNSET). I bet that helped put her over the top for ALW.

Odd to compare Audra and Nicole and how many shows they’re each doing per week. Nicole has 2 songs. Period.

Also, it’s no like Audra is missing weeks and weeks of performance . I think she’s missed around 6, hardly something to condemn her for.

[Quote] I'm not an ALW fan but I hope this happens. The Hellinger is a beautiful theatre.

I agree! Make it become a Bway theatre again

You have to admit it would be hilarious if ALW bought it and turned it into another church.

How is this a "story"? The theater isn't for sale. Everyone has tried. The crazies are going to keep it. Jimmy Sr. had to sell it to pay for Legs Diamond. This is long before the Nederlanders had "Lion King" and "Wicked" and "Hamilton" making sure all was good.

[quote]I think she’s missed around 6, hardly something to condemn her for.

That's a matter of opinion. Some people would say that for the over-the-title star of a new production of a show that was mounted just for her to miss six performances within the first five months of the show's run is excessive. And since she has been showing up on TV and at social engagements right around the time of her absences, the optics are not good.

What social and TV engagements has she shown up to on days when she's sick? Don't try and pull the "around the time" bullshit, if she did TV and went on the same night then don't try and link it to her absence.

Absolutely no one reasonable who isn't looking for reasons to whine considers six over five months excessive.

R553, on April 3, Audra was on TV on THE VIEW in the morning, looking and sounding just fine, but called out that night, which would indicate that she wasn't "sick." Then she missed another performance last week, I'm not sure which night, but it was a week during which she attended the Met gala on Monday and the Tony nominees reception on Thursday.

I know lots of reasonable people who think six unscheduled absences (plus three more scheduled absences) for the over-the-title star of a show during the first five months of the run is excessive. You are free to disagree.

[QUOTE] That's a matter of opinion. Some people would say that for the over-the-title star of a new production of a show that was mounted just for her to miss six performances within the first five months of the show's run is excessive. And since she has been showing up on TV and at social engagements right around the time of her absences, the optics are not good.

ENOUGH!!!!

[quote]How is this a "story"? The theater isn't for sale. Everyone has tried. The crazies are going to keep it. Jimmy Sr. had to sell it to pay for Legs Diamond. This is long before the Nederlanders had "Lion King" and "Wicked" and "Hamilton" making sure all was good.

Exactly and even if they sold it for $50 million, where would they go? There is no where in the area that would be suitable.

Maybe the "church" that uses the Hellinger could buy and renovate the one theater on 42nd Street that's still derelict? It's really an eyesore as it stands, with scaffolding in front of it that has been there so long it seems permanent.

The Mark Hellinger has about 1600 seats, while the Times Square had 1056, and no lobby. Plus, at the moment, apparently it's completely gutted.

Why can't he buy and bring back the most important theater on Broadway -- the Gaiety!

Glengarry Glen Ross has recouped.

Ragtime member pre-sale is on. 2 seats Row K center for $195 on a Saturday night a little after opening night. Highly recommend LCT membership.

Yes, the LCT membership is a great bargain compared to current Broadway prices. Looking forward to seeing that RAGTIME production.

[Quote] on April 3, Audra was on TV on THE VIEW in the morning, looking and sounding just fine, but called out that night, which would indicate that she wasn't "sick."

I saw her on The View and thought her voices sounded scratchy, actually. Her calling out sick that night made sense to me.

Audra calls out when she’s truly sick. It’s not like she got divorced, got remarried, and had a baby during the run all while missing performances

If Audra had no Tonys, she would be the shoo-in. The conversation is mainly around “She doesn’t need any more Tonys”

[Quote] I know lots of reasonable people who think six unscheduled absences (plus three more scheduled absences) for the over-the-title star of a show during the first five months of the run is excessive. You are free to disagree.

Doing the Trump thing: “I know lots of people…”. Previously you said that you “knew lots of people” who think Audra isn’t good for the role….

Whether or not Audra wins the Tony, it will be really interesting to see how many scheduled and unscheduled absences from GYPSY she will have after the award is given out,

If the word “excessive” is used, it’s that same anti-Audra crazy town troll who was ALL over this thread yesterday and then seems to have retreated to her white tent to come up with new posts. She gives herself away though because she uses the same language over and over again and repeats herself.

Please remember though that she has a “black friend.”

“Cabaret” made just $751,000 at about 80% capacity in the first week of May. Will it close by summer given we expect fewer-than-usual tourists in NYC this year?

No it won't, r566.

[quote]Please remember though that she has a “black friend.”

And every time you make fun of me for having posted that, you have the nerve to totally discount the opinion of my black friend -- who is a professional singer/actor -- that Audra is vocally cast in Gypsy, even though you obviously can't insist he feels that way due to racism. It's you who are the troll, my non-friend.

I’ve actually never posted anything about your black friend - this was the first time. There are apparently multiple people on here who make fun of you.

Also, thanks for confirming that this is, in fact, you. I was purely guessing based on your language patterns and ended up being correct.

Even racists have blacks friends

r554 So you only have a single example, and yet tried to portray that as typical for all her absences? And how exactly does The View example indicste she wasn't sick? You actually think it's not possible for someone to get sick during the day? So you're now claiming she's faking illness to get a day off based on nothing whatsoever.

The fact that the argument keeps changing is very telling.

r571 There's something about the absolute pomposity of their posts that just makes them jump out. That poster also claims to have friends within the Gypsy company and yet had no idea they recorded a cast album.

[quote]It’s not like she got divorced, got remarried, and had a baby during the run all while missing performances

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Audra has a vacation scheduled for late June.

Ben Brantley says Audra’s ROSE’S TURN is “a revelation” and “makes you rethink the show you’ve been watching”.

The insipid Audra discussion may last longer here than Phantom did on Broadway.

Why don’t the Audra haters buy Times Sq.. Church—they can preach to their hearts’ content.

Grosses are out. Make sure you see Boop or Smash or Curves, etc this month because they’ll be gone after the Tonys.

[quote]If the word “excessive” is used, it’s that same anti-Audra crazy town troll who was ALL over this thread yesterday

I'm not sure who's worse...the anti Audra loons or the pro Audra loons.

Re the grosses Oh, Mary! was down $13. Interesting that Cole missed two performances but it didn't seem to affect the box office.

r579 Seriously? There are posts like r490 but you can't decide who's worse?

Dead Outlaw is dead on arrival.

How do we find out when Audra's vacation is?

R582 It's in the mid 80s...unless it's a super expensive show to run, it's not announcing an early closing any time soon.

Real Women is on life support...it's gonna be the next one to go.

Boop is going to try and hang in until the Tonys...a strong performance on there, might get them a tour.

Smash is just a flop.

R584: The tickets for Dead Outlaw are incredibly cheap and $500K is not enough to run a musical on Broadway.

I thought Dead Outlaw was great. One of the best musicals in a long time. Original and with something to say. Fabulous cast also.

R575, and how will that differ from her regular performance schedule…?

Dead Outlaw has a cast of 8 actors (none of them expensive stars) and a very small orchestra. I haven't seen it so I don't know what the staging looks like but it seems to be a pretty small show especially for a musical. It can survive a lot longer in the mid 80s than a big show with a huge cast/orchestra to pay every week.

[quote] Audra calls out when she’s truly sick.

Are you her Doctor?

r589 Are you?

Real Women Eat Ass is a better title.

I think the obnoxious, defensive title “Real Women Have Curves” is pretty off-putting for most demographics.

It’s a very sweet, touching, thoughtful show. I enjoyed it a lot, even though I wasn’t the target audience. It’s a shame that it hasn’t caught on.

Sucker!

Wow, it seems all the recent arrivals are flopping-Boop, Smash, Elmer Fudd or whatever, Outlaw, Stranger Things, Curves.

So what shows are audiences going to?

Do you call your Black friend “Blackie”?

I first saw Justina Machado in “Six Feet Under” in which she was a series semi-regular character and I always really enjoyed her. Her portrayal of Vanessa in a depression storyline, I think in the third season, was very believable to me.

I’m really happy that she has a Tony nomination to her name.

THEATRE GOSSIP #590 linked below.

Bajour!

Friends